


I Found (The Nine Of Us)

by LepidLilac



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Angst, District 9 AU, Hinted pairings?, Hints at The Elimination, Hyunjin wants to see his friends happy, I really can’t tag I’m so sorry-, M/M, Miroh - Freeform, Nine or None, OT9 - Freeform, dystopian themes, too much Imagery and not enough dialogue lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-21
Updated: 2019-03-21
Packaged: 2019-11-26 21:00:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18185666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LepidLilac/pseuds/LepidLilac
Summary: It’s late, probably too late to be out walking around the city, the black road wet with rain and the city’s neon signs glowing brightly as they pass by them. They’re all punch drunk on each other’s energy, laughing and stumbling along, clinging onto one and other, enjoying the smell of petrichor and smoke, the cool night air pleasant on their skin.Tonight, the date marks March, 24th, and that’s why they’re out in such high spirits. Because tomorrow is the day they break free from the District.And they couldn’t be more ready.





	I Found (The Nine Of Us)

**Author's Note:**

> I FINALLY PUBLISHED MY FIRST STRAY KIDS FANFIC YAY 🎉🎉🎉 
> 
> I was listening to I Found by Amber Run on repeat while writing this, so if you want a soundtrack while you read, I suggest that song :) I really hope you guys like it! Enjoy fellow Stays! Don’t be afraid to shoot me a comment! ;)

It’s late, probably too late to be out walking around the city, the black road wet with rain and the city’s neon signs glowing brightly as they pass by them. They’re all punch drunk on each other’s energy, laughing and stumbling along, clinging onto one and other, enjoying the smell of petrichor and smoke, the cool night air pleasant on their skin.

Jeongin has managed to hitch a ride on Woojin’s back, his smile bright as the full moon behind them. Seungmin pokes his tongue out at him when their eyes catch, mischievous and fond. Chan giggles uncontrollably with Jisung at some ridiculous pun Woojin made, their laughter infectious and loud echoing off the towering buildings surrounding them. Minho full on cackles when Changbin nearly trips over a pothole, stumbling into Felix and screeching like he’s just been assaulted by the earth.

Felix then knocks into Hyunjin, who steadies him with a giggle, eyes unbelievably fond as he looks at his friends, then settles on Felix, who grins up at him with a brightness that only shines when he’s with them like this, carefree, roaming the city like a pack of wolves, finding the strength to be happy in one and other.

And God, does that happiness suit him.

Felix regains his balance but sticks close to his side, slipping his hand into Hyunjin’s and swinging them back and forth as they walk, laughing as Changbin demands to be carried as well.

Hyunjin hopes that they can be happy like this forever.

But once the sun comes up, they must return to their designated places, their light dimmed by the dreary pressures and expectations of their District, forced to become obedient students, workers,  blanks being churned out at a steady pace to carry their beloved District on their aching backs as it crumbles from those before them.

They have a secret though.

They all plan to escape. All nine of them, together.

Hyunjin gets twitchy just thinking about it, freedom so close he can nearly taste it. 

They’ve all got _the date_ tattooed on some part of them, Seungmin and Jeongin have it behind their ear, Jisung and Changbin have it on their ankles, Chan and Minho have it on their wrist, and Felix and Hyunjin have it over their hearts. It was painful and clumsy, Minho and Changbin did it for them with needles and ink, meticulously poking every dot to form the numbers _0325_ on their skin. It stung and burned, but it felt right, it solidified their intentions and spiked their motivation past 100%.

Chan warned them that they couldn’t be hasty with something like this, they’d have to plan everything accordingly, at their own pace, to ensure nothing could go wrong.

They weren’t planning on losing anyone as they broke free.

It was nine or none, without a shadow of a doubt.

Tonight, the date marks March, 24th, and that’s why they’re out in such high spirits. Because tomorrow is _the day_.

They’ll leave District 9, and make their own home, (even if they have to live out of the bus they plan to steal for a few months) 

They’ve been stocking supplies for a _year,_ from food rations to medicine, first aid, and clothes, and their on the precipice of being _free_. Their hope buzzes untamed through their veins tonight as they reach their destination, an building on the outskirts of town, abandoned so abruptly that there’s still furniture and other personal effects left behind to rot, littering the place like depressing echoes of what they once were.

They settle in their favorite area, the center of the building where the sky is visible through a pane of glass, high above them. They set a fire in the metal barrel in the middle of all the sofas and chairs they’ve dragged into a circle, collapsing into their spots and calming slightly.

Felix ends up laying on Hyunjin’s stomach, his chin resting on his arms, crossed atop Hyunjin’s chest.

“Are you nervous? About tomorrow?” Felix asks in a hushed whisper, excitement gleaming in his eyes.

“Not really. I know we’ll make it out. I just wish it would come faster.” He replies, playing with Felix’s hair. The fire crackles in pops, the flame’s reflection dancing in Felix’s eyes. “How about you?”

“I’m like 75 percent nervous and 25 percent excitement.” He says, biting his lip. “I know we’ve been over it a million times, we know exactly what to do. But I’m scared that we’ll get so close just to have it ripped away from us.” He admits softly. 

“We’ll be okay.” Hyunjin says firmly, without a doubt. “We’ve got backup plans. And even our backup plans have backup plans thanks to Chan, Jisung, and Changbin. Try not to worry yourself sick.” He says soothingly, tucking his hair behind his ear.

Admittedly, Felix and Minho are going to be the toughest ones to break out. They’re on a lower level, deemed less valuable than the rest of them by those bastards who run everything. They’re watched more, treated worse, at one point, they went a whole month without seeing them.

They were all worried sick, restless and afraid for their friends. Chan was so high strung he stopped sleeping, growing paler and more tense with every day.

For a moment, they feared for the worse. That brief moment when they thought that two of their own had been..killed, it tore them apart. Jeongin didn’t talk for that entire month, even for a little time after. Changbin, Woojin, and Jisung were downright furious, planning a revenge attack rather than escape at that point.

And Hyunjin?

He just felt..hopeless, raw down to the nerve, and utterly heartbroken. Seungmin stuck close to him those days, watching him with careful eyes as if he might break at any given moment. Hyunjin doesn’t blame him for it, because he thought he would shatter too.

But one day, they both showed up again, reintroduced to their tier, looking thinner and stiffer, both their eyes blank as they stared ahead. The others were overjoyed to see them but neither Minho or Felix were allowed to acknowledge them.

It was torture waiting until nighttime to sneak out and see them.

When Felix met Hyunjin’s eyes that night, he smiled for the first time in a month, tired and teary eyed, but _so so_ relieved. 

Surprisingly, Jeongin was the first to burst into tears, launching himself at them both the first chance he got. That launched the biggest group hug Hyunjin has ever been a part of, everyone crying, laughing, or both as the cling onto each other. 

They all stuck as close to each other as they could that night.

Felix hums and closes his eyes with a sigh, safe and warm in the moment, in Hyunjin’s arms.

Hyunjin lets his eyes wander around the room, lingering on each of his friend faces, sleepy and content. He can’t wait for happiness to become common between them, for the monstrous weight on their shoulders to be lifted. He wants that for them all, more than anything.

Hyunjin closes his eyes and breathes, listening to the others chatter quietly, the fire crackling. He feels peaceful for the first time in a while, the calm before the storm.

He’s at peace because even if the world outside the District is a maze, scary and unknown, all nine of them will navigate it together.

And they’ll make it out the other side, better than before.

Just you wait.


End file.
